Is this it now? Covid on the way out?

[ToJabOrNotToJab]

Now that a lot of people are less scared, particularly vulnerable people who have had it and only suffered mild illness, generally the feeling seems to be that it's moving to endemic and people just want to get on with it. With isolation now being slashed to 5 days as well, is this the end of all the covid hysteria and restrictions? Or is it simply that omicron has peaked in London and nowhere else matters?

There is a really noticeable change in people. No one I know is really any way afraid now. They're being sensible but vaccinated and getting on with life.

@zafferana

I bloody hope so!

But the doomsayers and the 'I haven't left my house since March 2020' brigade on MN won't give up that easily.

Surely you see that some of us have valid reasons though? I mean it's not been been fun staying home by myself, I would rather be out partying on a weekend like I used to! I switch between fuck it, do I just catch it and get it over with and nope, don't But I'm not fussed what others do so maybe that's the difference, I can carry on with my own restrictions

[quote solania]@JesusInTheCabbageVan the First Plague Pandemic lasted from 541-mid 8th century. The second plague pandemic lasted from the start of the Black Death to the 19th century. The third plague pandemic lasted from 1855-1960s.

They’ve ALL lasted more than a century!

I’m not suggesting covid will last that long (of course!), but it's inaccurate to say that no pandemic has lasted longer than 2years.

I can’t answer the question in the OP, as I don’t have the scientific knowledge and can’t predict the future. All I’m personally worried about is ensuring the vulnerable are protected, and I don't know the best way to achieve that because (see above). [/quote]
These "pandemics"'may have continued for centuries in that they were still around, and Covid will still be around, potentially having a resurgence if a nasty variant comes along.

However these pandemics didn't continue at full throttle for centuries, otherwise humanity would be extinct! The focus 2nd plague pandemic devastated England in 1348 but by 1349 it has subsided and remained at a low level for 12 years until 1361, and then continued at a low level for decades.

However, based on the other coronavirus pandemic we know about (1891 Russian Flu) subsided in a few years and, whereas it's still with us, has remained endemic rather than anything more.

@solania

The third plague pandemic lasted from 1855-1960s

Out of interest which plague pandemic was this?

@stripyleopardsleep

There's no end in sight in hospitals (which I really want to see!)

Non stop masks and social distancing for 2 years now. LFTs to visit, only one 1 person can ever visit, our covid wards has had to expand to 2 wards over Xmas and third opening this week (not due to covid sick, due to infection on top of other illness, but need to segregate), endless outbreaks closing wards so no capacity, no social care due to carer isolation so no hospital throughput, pretty much all ICU level illness = death, no staff due to isolation and bed expansion - redeployment started again this week, told to discharge all waiting lists etc.

It's so far from normal it's untrue and I'm SO fed up of it. If everywhere else is sacking covid off, I'd like the same in hospital please or I'm not sure how much longer I'll continue working in the nhs!

I hear ya! Such a depressing shift yesterday going round in circles after positive results from the routine 5 day swabs we still have to do. Rejigging the whole hospital. No staff, everyone demoralised. It would be so much better if we didn't have to consider all that. All other care is very hit and miss - I think Covid is causing more damage to those without it in hospital than those with it.

Hopefully!! And if so my business might just….just survive!!

It’s been cut so close to the bone that anymore restrictions and it will go under.

a lot of people are less scared

I'm not sure that's true...

The people I know personally who were very afraid of Covid are still very afraid of it. They haven't changed. I think people aren't freaked out walking down the street passing you on pavement - you can try on shoes in shops you can drive to take exercise. So people aren't afraid of the same behaviours they were in April 2020 -- but they are still afraid.

@lljkk

a lot of people are less scared

I'm not sure that's true...

The people I know personally who were very afraid of Covid are still very afraid of it. They haven't changed. I think people aren't freaked out walking down the street passing you on pavement - you can try on shoes in shops you can drive to take exercise. So people aren't afraid of the same behaviours they were in April 2020 -- but they are still afraid.

I'm referring to people who were very afraid but who have now had covid and not been particularly unwell with it. Many CEV people were under the impression that they would almost certainly die if they caught it and have actually had it fairly mildly. I think in general a lot of people are less fearful particularly if they /family/friends have had it.

They might well have died from COVID if we didn't have lockdowns and vaccines though,the future looks a lot brighter now two years in then it did in march 2020 ,my DH had just been diagnosed with diabetes and was then told he was CEV , thankfully due to vaccines our lives are pretty much normal ,we have had COVID in the house twice and neither of us has caught it and if we do now I'm hopeful we will both be fine ,but two years ago it was a different matter .

Good point about the vaccines - they have been amazing, and big thanks to the scientists and everyone getting the vaccines rolled out (NHS, and volunteers). I remember being nervous this time last year, and now I've had three vaccines and mild covid. Things have definitely moved on.

@MrsTerryPratchett

I think we will start to see it treated as endemic in the spring.

I think it's important to both acknowledge that it is becoming endemic, but also that's it's killed 5.5 million people. I'm not sure hyperbole unless either direction is very useful.

Exactly this

Yes we're on our way to it being endemic and with less fear-mongering media coverage comes less hysteria.

But I think mask wearing in some settings may be back next winter - the goverment's way of being seen to do something to protect the NHS that they and previous governments have underfunded.

www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-self-isolation-law-set-be-scrapped-telegraph-2022-01-16/

Looks like it really is over, self isolation is going to be scrapped

@DynamiteFilledRadish

Specsavers just seen to be the worst of all - I have to knock on the door to be let in and they aren't taking donations of old glasses - how is putting a pair of glasses in a box that probably won't be touched for a good couple of weeks going to pass covid?

[quote solania]@JesusInTheCabbageVan the First Plague Pandemic lasted from 541-mid 8th century. The second plague pandemic lasted from the start of the Black Death to the 19th century. The third plague pandemic lasted from 1855-1960s.

They’ve ALL lasted more than a century!

I’m not suggesting covid will last that long (of course!), but it's inaccurate to say that no pandemic has lasted longer than 2years.

I can’t answer the question in the OP, as I don’t have the scientific knowledge and can’t predict the future. All I’m personally worried about is ensuring the vulnerable are protected, and I don't know the best way to achieve that because (see above). [/quote]
Plague was not at pandemic levels for centuries. There were periods (of around two years) when it was, but then it abated and became endemic.

The previous posters are correct.

@MrsTerryPratchett

How is it early days? We are two years in and pandemics usually last two years.

Well the plague's been around for a few hundred. So it's early days, yes! In terms of the disease.

yes in terms of the history of humanity its early days, but thats hardly relevant. In terms of the corinavirus pandemic which is what we are actually talking about, it is coming towards the end.

I think in a lot of peoples minds it was over weeks ago, however they are ignoring the facts regarding the number of daily cases alright deaths and hospital admissions are down but the nhs is on its knees.

[quote BlueBlancmange]@solania

The third plague pandemic lasted from 1855-1960s

Out of interest which plague pandemic was this?[/quote]
It was the Chinese plague pandemic, 1855 and still going in 1960, though rapidly diminishing.

I’m not saying that they were at full throttle for all that time, just making a pedantic point that all three plague pandemics lasted for more than a century and they are all officially called pandemics, whether they were surging in infections or in some abeyance! I don’t know how these things are defined as I’m not a historian of medicine, but it's still interesting.

I sincerely doubt covid will be an official pandemic for that long, though!

Anyway, I’m deeply hopeful that we are heading towards the end of this weird and unpleasant time, and I'll be delighted to stop wearing masks and to get back to previous normal. The only thing I’m really concerned about (as I said previously) is that we reopen at a pace which protects the lives and the health of the vulnerable. I’d hate to find that deciding that the pandemic has ended had resulted in more unnecessary deaths and long term health problems. I’m not enjoying the pandemic, I hate it. But it does kill people. Most of the people my husband has buried have been relatively young, previously healthy people. It's pretty sobering

I am not sure why it makes much difference if its pandemic or endemic. I guess if it is endemic that just means the disease rate and spread is predictable so we can plan our services around it? But reading how hospitals are we havent got there yet. I suppse we can also model that x percent have it at any point and stop testing so much or tracing.

@solania we're just making the (similarly pedantic ) point that they weren't officially classes as pandemics for all that time.

*classed. I'm not Gollum.

Am hoping the WFH directive will end soon. DH reckons he heard it will in a couple of weeks, but I can't find anything to confirm that. I am allowed to go into the office for my sanity, but it doesn't make a lot of difference if no-one is there!!

@dollybird

Am hoping the WFH directive will end soon. DH reckons he heard it will in a couple of weeks, but I can't find anything to confirm that. I am allowed to go into the office for my sanity, but it doesn't make a lot of difference if no-one is there!!

Plan b is likely to end on Jan 26 which included wfh guidance

@Overthebow

www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-self-isolation-law-set-be-scrapped-telegraph-2022-01-16/

Looks like it really is over, self isolation is going to be scrapped

Even better it’s the end of the coronavirus act after two years. (or whatever it’s called)

Great! Hopefully there will be more people back in the office soon 🤞